Everything including the kitchen sink... but with special attention paid to board games, Jesus Christ, my family, being a "professional" (and I use that word loosely) Christian, and the random firing of the 10% of the synapses I'm currently using.
A re-imagined version of the classic dice game To Court the King - imagine Yahtzee crossed with Magic: The Gathering. You use dice to obtain card powers in order to manipulate dice to obtain more power (and dice) to finally win the favor of the Pharaoh.
Tips & Tricks:
You need dice - and a few manipulation powers. Going the other way (dice manipulation powers and a few extra dice) will lose you the game.
The game works well with 2-4 players.
The variability introduced in this version is excellent - each game has its own feel.
I do wish I'd sprung for a second set of dice... with 4 players, you have to do a lot of trading around of base dice.
Extras
I had the privilege of Tom Lehmann (the designer) showing me the unpublished expansion for To Court the King some years back... many of those great ideas ended up in Favor of the Pharaoh.
This is the first of seven (7!) Lehmann designs on my list.
Imagine taking the asymmetrical structure of the classic game Space Hulk (hordes of bad guys vs. a small band of heroes) and cross-pollinating it with some very clever dice mechanics (one even borrowed from the much-loved Euro game, Kingsburg)... and then packing the box as full of high-quality components as possible. And there you have it.
Tips & Tricks:
Both players (the good guys AND the bad guys) have to carefully manage all of their resources - each of them has some pretty nifty "powers" but almost all of those are limited in their use.
Not unlike the original Space Hulk board game, sometimes winning is just taking out as many bad guys as possible before you go under.
Extras
The playing time for Claustrophobia is almost always less than an hour... and, with a few exceptions, it's pretty easy to set up as the caverns will be explored and the game board laid out as you play.
Warning: this is probably the "darkest" game I own (thematically)... this is not for everyone.
The De Profundis expansion has a lot more scenarios, some new monsters & heroes, and a bunch of new tiles & cards... and, as per the designer's wishes, does NOT make this a multi-player game. (Croc - yes, that's his moniker - was very clear that he'd designed a two-player game and that putting more folks around the table would mess up the design.)
The Furor Sanguinis expansion adds a new "faction" - well, to be accurate, giant lizard/demon bad guy. We've had a lot of fun with it.
Yes, I know there's a (relatively) new edition [circa 2019]. But this is the one I own.
Have a massive multiple armada space battle... in 60 minutes. With almost no luck.
Tips & Tricks:
Important safety tip: I was a long-time playtester on this game... it's not my baby but it certainly feels like it.
I do wish the colors of two of squadrons in the blue fleet weren't so dang close. I need to use a Sharpie to mark one of them.
Like Catan, initial placement is important. You have to make wise choices based on your special power and your judgement about the relative aggressiveness of your closest foes.
Extras
I wrote an ode to joy about the publication of Battle Beyond Space on my blog back in 2009.
The inscription on my "thank you for playtesting" copy of the game...
A splendid road rally race that's fraught with luck... and some actual decision-making.
Tips & Tricks:
You can't make it to every prize ceremony - so don't even try.
Deciding when to cut & run - or at least leaving yourself that option - is one of the keys to winning the game.
Extras
This is probably the lowest ranked game (BGG-wise) on my Top 100 - and frankly, I think that simply indicates that my list is superior to the opinions of a whole lot of other people.
The fourth installment of my top 100 songs - and, yes, there's two songs by the same artist off of the same album. (The whole album is just that good - even 40 years later.)
There are some great break-up songs… but none that make me laugh as hard as this one - "Sorry when you want to yell I just can't hear your shouts / Now I live so far away, wish I could help you out / But I realized I'm no punching bag, and I know you hate that / So now you'll have to do without, or get yourself a cat".
This pop-y highly danceable song about confusion and hope lands not because Chevy Chase is in the video but because of the stunning musicianship on display.
I first heard David Wilcox on an NPR radio show performing some of his songs in the studio… and promptly drove to a record store and bought his album. Such an amazing storyteller.
There's a lot of mystery about the title of this song (which was relegated to the Rattle & Hum album without appearing in the film)… but this declaration of love (to God? to a woman?) grabs me.
Yes, another song off "Romeo Unchained"… this plaintive song about the loss of a relationship has been covered by a number of folks (Glen Burtick, ALIAS, What If, etc.) but I still think this is the best version.
I've played this over & over and I'm still intrigued each time. How far can I push my luck? Should I play aggressively or defensively? For such a simple game, it continues to draw me in. (Probably doesn't hurt that the production of the game is gorgeous.) Now, it's not that I win all that much. My wife is a pro... and my oldest son gets better every game we play.
Tips & Tricks:
I know some people don't like the big cards or the board... but I do.
Good Lost Cities play is based not only on the cards you draw but also on the play of your opponent. It is a game about reading their plan as much as executing your own.
Lost Cities spawned a whole series of games:
Keltis & it's uglier cousin, Lost Cities: The Board Game (I enjoy them both)
Keltis: Die Orakel (which I have not played)
Keltis: Der Weg der Steine (which I like a lot... hint hint)
Keltis: The Dice Game (so-so)
Keltis: The Card Game (decent - but I like Lost Cities better)
Lost Cities: Rivals (which is very good!)
Lost Cities: Roll'n'Write (which is decent as well)
Extras
Here's a link to what I wrote about Lost Cities for The One Hundred...
This three-handed trick-taking game resets trump on each and every trick - and yet the unique scoring system (with bargain piles and junk piles) is surprisingly easy to understand. It's just difficult to play well!
Tips & Tricks:
There is a memory element to the game - but you can refresh your memory between hands.
The game will play with four players - but three is the number you really want.
Don't be ashamed of a low score - it took me 2-3 games to get a positive score.
Extras
This game also ended up on Chris Wray's 20 Favorite Trick-Taking Games list for 2024 over on the Opinionated Gamers site. "If I could pick one game that is undervalued by those newer to the trick-taking obsession, it is Bargain Hunter. The game is a masterpiece!"
not sure it's in print, but relatively easy to find copies online
Why It's On The List
One of the best examples of a game design integrating theme & mechanics - drawing tiles from the bag "feels" like archaeology. As well, the use of the "time cost" mechanic makes the game fluid & gives each player a plethora of tactical options.
Tips & Tricks:
The tile bags are a marked improvement over the card decks from the original version of this game, Jenseits von Theben.
If you're not going to collect the lecture series cards, just make sure no other person hoards them - that's some big points out there on the rubber chicken circuit.
I like to jump out with one or two quick expeditions to harvest a few easy artifacts (and have a variety of colors for the various exhibitions) - but there's something to be said for making sure you have a couple of assistants & shovels before you do any serious digging.
Don't forget about the bonuses for highest level of research into each site!
the name means "Magic Sword & Dragon Egg" - and it's a fantasy-themed game of auctions, negotiation and engine-building that has won my two sons over
Tips & Tricks:
There are two basic truths you must remember in order to play Z&D well:.
remember that you can negotiate - but never trust that the player following you in the turn order will honor your deal
remember there is a certain level of engine-building that must be done in order to be successful - just saving up energy to zap monsters for victory points will not win you the game
I am a huge fan of both expansion boxes - they add some great twists to the base system that increase the variety of paths to victory. They do, admittedly, add some length to the game.
A cleaner and more accessible take on the excellent zoo-building game Ark Nova (by the same designer).
Tips & Tricks:
Hate drafting (taking a tile that might benefit someone else) is an option in this game. I find it most helpful when my range (the set of tiles I can select) doesn't have anything useful for me.
Remember - "bad" tiles can be used to trigger scoring on some tiles and placed as open space when the opportunity arises.
Any game that involves guys riding dinosaurs into combat around a volcano is totally worth my time. The fact that it's stupidly fun just makes it even better.
Tips & Tricks:
Sometimes, it pays to decimate a particular type of dino (raptors, for example)... so you can use their cards as wild cards for other dino types with more firepower.
Whatever happens... no matter how bad you want revenge for a sneak attack... remember the win condition - when one player is knocked out, the player with the most dinos left wins. It's "all too easy" (thank you, Lord Vader) to get preoccupied and give the game away to satisfy a thirst to beat on the guy who's been hitting you.
Extras
The literal translation of the game's name is "The Battle of the Dinosaurs"... but I've always called it The Battle of the Dinosaur Riders.
Yes, I've badgered the good folks at Restoration Games to take a close look at re-imagining this game.
This is the first of two games on my countdown designed by Stephen Baker... who is also the genius behind the flawed but wonderful Battle Masters (currently being re-imagined by Restoration Games as Battle Monsters).
There was a 2 player variant in the original 7 Wonders box... but it wasn't particularly interesting. Enter 7 Wonders Duel, which managed to capture the drafting "feel" of the original game but work perfectly for 2 players.
Tips & Tricks:
There are three ways to win: military, science, and points... focusing on military or science can force your opponent to fight to stop you - and short circuit their plans.
Wise use of money is key to winning - being cash poor gives your opponent freedom to leave cards out that you can't use.
The combination of yellow (commercial) cards and burning cards for cash (increased by each yellow card you have) can be an effective strategy to deny players important cards while increasing your coffers.
Extras
The picture above includes the excellent Pantheon expansion... and there is second (also excellent) Agora expansion. I've never played them at the same time, as one son like Pantheon and the other likes Agora.
There's a print'n'play solo mode that works - but there are better solo games out there (and on this list).
The first of two solitaire games on my top 50 list... this is an inventive use of the deckbuilding mechanic as you are Friday from the novel Robinson Crusoe... trying to keep Robinson alive and get him ready to face down the pirates.
Tips & Tricks:
I used to be really good at this game... actually won once on Level 3 (there are four levels). Those days are gone - I haven't defeated both pirates on Level 1 in my last 10 games.
The rules for the various powers are a little tick-y... you need to make sure you read EXACTLY what they do (and do not do) in the rulebook.
Extras
This is an extremely portable game - when I'm traveling to speak, it's easy to throw in the suitcase and beats the heck out of watching HGTV in a hotel room.
If you get a chance to play a game with Friedemann, take the chance... even if it's not one of his games. He single handedly made our game of Mord im Arosa into a laugh riot a few years back.
As much as I love Entdecker (the parent game to the Im Reich series), I love this gamer-friendly take on desert nomads & the struggle for water & goods even more.
Tips & Tricks:
The name literally means "in the realm of the desert sons". And while the game rules are in German, almost all of the actual components are language-neutral.
This is designed by Klaus Teuber - the same guy who gave us Catan.
There is one other game in this series: "In the Realm of the Jade Goddess" - which is a little more of a family game. There was supposed to be a third game - "In the Realm of the Demons" - but it was never published. (This continues to make me sad in my heart.)
Water is your friend - do not (if you can help it) run out of water.
Camels are also your friend - you'll need some in order to win the game.
An important rule change was made AFTER publication - in order to complete an oasis on the edge of the board, the outer edge of the piece must be desert. Makes the game trickier - and better.
Extras
I need to actually write a review of this game... which is probably not going to happen any time soon.
I also need to bug my friend (who shall remain nameless) with a connection to Herr Teuber to see if
a. this can be reprinted
b. In the Realm of the Demons could be released into the wild!
Just a thought: a Kickstarter "big box" with all three games in one box. :-)
This is the first of five (5!) Klaus Teuber designs in my top 100 games.
This extremely clever flip’n’write game doesn’t actually contain any writing – but it does have enough look-ahead to make wise decisions and enough luck of the draw to force you to hedge your bets.
Tips & Tricks:
Creating villages gives you jumping-off points for later rounds... which is essential to scoring well.
Keep track of which cards have been flipped - so that you don't base your plays on something that can't happen this round.
It’s been a hit with everyone I’ve taught it to… and I find it relaxing and enjoyable to play as a solo game.
Extras
There are four different maps in the original box, with 2 more maps available as an expansion from AEG.
There is a second "party" expansion kit coming that will allow you to play with more than 4 players.
Couple a unique treasure-hunting mechanic with beautiful production to create a nifty push-your-luck family game.
Tips & Tricks:
Read the rules carefully - we messed things up in a couple of different ways because we (gamer-ly) assumed we knew how it would work.
It doesn't always work - but it's not a bad idea to put clues into each search - so you get something out of every treasure discovery.
The game ends quicker than you think it will.
Extras
The one thing missing from the game is a helpful player aid to remind you about amulet powers - thankfully, one has thoughtfully been posted by Evan S over on BoardGameGeek.
An excellent expansion for the game was published in 2020 - Tobago: Volcano. It's not impossible to teach newbies - but it has some nice twists for folks who've been scavenging about the island a time or two before.
Tobago is available to play on BGA - it's best played real-time rather than async.
I grew up hearing the Yes classics ("Roundabout", "I've Seen All Good People", etc.) and I loved Wakeman's bombastic prog rock extravaganzas (particularly "Journey to the Centre of the Earth")… but this is the song that has stuck with me.
After Prodigal (see #81) ended, Loyd Boldman did an indie solo album. This relatively simple track still breaks me. (Loyd sadly passed away from cancer in 2014.)
I still want to lead a worship service that starts with the worship band rocking out to this song… and then is COMPLETELY silent for the rest of the service (taking directions from the video screens on meditation on Scripture and times of prayer).
I'd watched a bunch of music videos (thanks to Friday Night Videos) but my junior year in college was the year we actually had cable in our apartment and left MTV on like it was a radio station. The Hooters caught my eye with this video - and then I fell in love with their sound.
Van Halen is a guilty pleasure band for me (Jump, Panama, etc.)… but something about this song grabs me. (Yes, the video likely played a role in that - it's a great video.)
There are some folks who will eventually read this that will be cheesed off that I picked this particular The Who song. (They'd be even more irritated if they knew how much I hated "Magic Bus".) I just love the groove to it - it's a great driving song.
Another Alan Parsons-ish banger from Prodigal - with lyrics that have never been typical for CCM. (Just typing that reminded me of one of my favorite "way back in the day CCM" albums - Erick Nelson and Michele Pillar's 'The Misfit'... need to give that one a spin again.)
"Dig" is not my favorite Adam Again album… but this song is heartbreaking and gorgeous. (Favorite Adam Again album is probably a tie between "10 Songs" and "Homeboys".)
A raucous and adorably sweet love song - "As my 4x rolls down the road of life, I know that I'll be happier when your wife/All we need is a ring and a dress and a tux, and a love as big as a monstertruck". Note: the original version on the album "You're Soaking in It" is much better than the band's self-cover on "The Emporer's New Band".
You probably know this from the nutty Rube Goldberg music video - but the version I love features a live performance by the University of Notre Dame Marching Band.
My roommate and I drove the campus radio DJ crazy requesting this very odd track off Daniel Amos' "Vox Humana" album. (Many of the musicians involved will show up MUCH later on this countdown in a different Traveling Wilbury-esque CCM supergroup.)
I bought my first Charlie Peacock album (cassette) back in college (1984)… and his most recent album (Every King of Uh-Oh) in 2024. I admire his skills as a musician, producer, writer, and philosopher.
Just three albums in four years - but this band managed to write great rock'n'roll that challenged me to think bigger about what I believed and how I lived it out.
I started pulling this together for a Facebook group I'm a part of... and realized that some of you might enjoy reading my musings and memories about music.
It was the summer of '87 and I was youth minister at a church in SE Texas… living in the "Elijah room" above the garage of one of the church families. They had an excellent stereo system - and I played this synth-pop/dance track over & over at full volume when no one else was home.
This is not the last time this band will appear in my top 100 list - nor the lead singer (Steve Taylor). As Steve put it, "Since most of us live in Nashville, we figured we needed to have a country song." (They are NOT a country band - but this one is delightful.)
I first heard of Kings Kaleidoscope thanks to "The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill" podcast - this song was the theme song and they were a band that was formed at Mars Hill. The struggle with the church they came out of and what it means to follow God... wow.
I love the Muppets. I love "The Muppet Movie". I love "The Muppet Show". And I love that "Muppet Mayhem" TV series on Disney+ made sure this song was a part of the show. "They don't look like Presbyterians to me."
What If only released a single album… but it was a great album-oriented rock album - and "She Rocked My World" was the single. (Another song from '87… seems like there's a trend here.)
This also won't be the last time on this countdown I tap Mark Robertson (who also played bass in Rich Mullins' Ragamuffin Band and was the lead guy behind the rockabilly/punk band This Train).
follower of Jesus, husband, father, "pastor", boardgamer, writer, Legomaniac, Disneyphile, voted most likely to have the same Christmas wish list at age 58 as he did at age 8
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